10 Things to do in San Francisco

During my first trip to San Francisco, what I learned about this city was more than my mini-brain could take in. I was so stumped and stupefied with the assorted package of fun and frolic this city has, that I forgot that I had a flight to catch for home. The city is just a small distance of 7 miles but the wonder it holds is makes it an endless story. If you are a foodie or a curious wonderer like me, pack your bags and get ready to have the best time ever. So, let’s go through the 10 best things to do in San Francisco.

10 Things to do in San Francisco

1) Golden Gate Bridge

Now the first thing I wanted to see was this Golden Gate Bridge. If you are one among the “90s Kids”, you would surely have some hidden love for the Disney show “That’s So Raven”. Yes, the one with that psychic vision based stories. The series was based in San Francisco and oh, I so loved that bridge that they showed in the theme songs and cutaways. That was when I decided I have to visit this place and here I am. With orange colored arches perfectly placed amidst the sea’s rocky areas. The bridge connects the Marin County with San Francisco Bay for ease of transportation. Take a selfie anywhere you want but make sure you head to the Vista Point of the bridge for an amazing postcard-worthy shot which is located high up the hill from where one can see the whole San Francisco.

2) Alcatraz

With a horrid past, the Alcatraz is now one among the popular sites in San Francisco. From what I gathered with the help of the tourist guide, this place once served as a prison and was something that you need to avoid. Most of the popularity attained by this place comes from it being a part of famous Hollywood movies where the criminals try to escape this place or lived here. We took a ferry to this island because apparently, that’s the only way you can get to this location. You can either hire a guide to show you the entire area or look for the audio tours and take time to understand more of this abandoned facility.

3) Cable Car

One thing that you will see in abundance in the city is the iconic cable cars that have been deemed as the moving landmark of the city. The ringing bells and cable cars going up and then down the carved hills was one item on my bucket list. These cable cars are ancient – from the latter half of 19^th century. You can get a ticket to the entire city for as low as $7.

4) Ferry Building Marketplace

After all that traveling up & down the city, I was terribly hungry and something my friend who visited San Francisco earlier suggested turned out to be a heaven for my taste-buds. This public food marketplace houses numerous food stalls ranging all the way from my favorite seafood to the savory Mexican delicacies. Make sure you visit the cheese outlets and experience the finest quality cheese that melts in your mouth.

5) Golden Gate Park

Similar in looks and feel of California based Central Park; it was kind of like the mini version of the same. The Golden Gate Park expands in an area of 174 acres while the same for Central Park is 843 acres. My second day of strolling along the roads of the city led me to this park with its mesmerizing picnic spaces, trails to walk on, gardens, museums, sports courts, and playgrounds. Whether you are a solo traveler like me or visiting San Francisco with family, do drop in the Golden Gate Park. You will love the visual appeal of the vibrant flowers that bloom in this garden.

6) The Exploratorium

A trip to The Exploratorium took me years down the memory lane when my father used to take me and my siblings to the local museum. The Exploratorium covers everything ranging from subject matters such a psychology, biology, engineering, and geography. You can observe exhibits that help you navigate in history, science, and the things that determine the functionality of time and space. Make sure you see the sculpture based on 10,000 toothpicks.

7) Mission District

As I entered the streets of this funky neighborhood, I noticed the beautiful murals covering the walls of the streets. The Mexican ambiance surely filled my soul with excitement.  Walk to Bernal Heights Hills located nearby for a relaxing experience followed by a visit to the Dolores Park. You can enjoy a sunbath here if the skies are clear. If you are a solo traveler, you might want to refrain from visiting the Mission District at night as it can be quite unsafe.

8) Muir Woods National Monument

Although this tourist attraction is 16 miles towards the northern periphery of the city, make sure you do not miss this one. Trust me – you wouldn’t want to miss the redwood trees that reach sky-high in terms of height. Crossing the neck-bending greens, I got to the iconic 258 feet high redwood tree lying amidst the Muir Woods – one of the redwoods parks around San Francisco. If you are unable to imagine the height, imagine a 6-foot long friend of yours stacked one over the other about 45 times. That’s the case with this 600-800-year-old tree.

9) Napa Valley Wines

If you love farm fresh wine the way I do, make sure you drop down to the Napa Valley or the Sonoma County to taste the freshly bottled country wine. With some time in hand, so I rushed to this valley of wine to experience the making of wine from scratch. If you are short of time, you can also, taste the same wines in the city

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10) Alamo Square

I have always been mesmerized by the spectacular luxury and precise beauty of the Victorian era. I wouldn’t have missed a chance to experience the best remains of the Victorian era at the Alamo Square.The Seven Sisters are actually a specific collection based on the careful aligning of the ornate, historic, and pastel-colored homes from the Victorian Era. These are also, renowned as the Painted Ladies.

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This guest post has been authored by Anirudh Singh is a passionate travel blogger from India who writes for Nerds Travel. He writes about wide range of topics in Travel Niche but loves to write about Unusual Places around the world .